Effective Communication Skills for Diverse Workplaces

Effective Communication
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ABSTRACT
Due to globalization, today’s work environment has become diverse as people from
different culture, religions and backgrounds have come together. They bring with them,
diverse skills, knowledge and expertise. They have their own views, ideas perceptions and
opinions which are totally different from one another’s as they all come from different
walks of life. To succeed in multicultural society, an organization must value the differences
and maintain a climate in which everyone is treated with dignity. Everyone in business
today needs to better understand other cultures, as well as other age groups, gender groups,
and lifestyle groups. All this can happen only if there is an effective communication among
all the employees, from top to bottom. This paper explains how important is it to have a
diverse workforce, what difficulties could come in the way of effective communication in
such diverse workplaces and how to overcome these difficulties in an effective
communication.
NAME: MUHAMMAD IQBAL
ROLL NO. 053
SUBJECT: MGT-495
Email: fa14emba053@vcomsats.edu.pk

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
 Introduction 03
 What is Communication ………………………………………………...03
 Why is Effective Communication Important ………………………….... 03
 Objectives of Effective Communication Module………………….......03
 Modules Outline 04
 Module 1 :……………………………………………………………. ….06
 An understanding of the communication process……………………... 06
 Module 2: ………………………………………………………………. 08
 Methods of communication………………………………………….. …08
 Module 3: ……………………………………………………………….. 14
 Why communicating with others may be effective or ineffective……. …14
 Module 4 :………………………………………………………………...20
 Presentation and Assessment…………………………………………….20
 Step-by-Step Instructions
 Understanding Communication………………………………………....14
 Developing your strengths & qualities………………………………….14
 Dealing with assumptions……………………………………………….15
 Understanding patterns, habits & beliefs……………………………….15
 Developing good listening & response skills…………………………...15
 Body Language…………………………………………………………...17
 Building Confidence……………………………………............................17
 Summary…………………………………………………...…....19
 Assessments…………………………………………………......20
 References…………………………………………………….....23

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Introduction
"Seek first to understand and then to be understood.”
What is Communication?
The meaning of communication is the response it elicits. Both parties are responsible for a
communication transaction. Communication is about more than just exchanging information. It's
about understanding the emotion and intentions behind the information. Effective
communication is how you convey a message so that it is received and understood by someone
in exactly the way you intended.
Why is Effective Communication Important
Effective communication is the key to successful business. One of the key skills of an
effective Leader is the ability to communicate with team members, management, internal and
external clients or customers. It is usually not what we say but rather how we say it that
distinguishes the competent, effective Leader. Effective communication is the glue that helps you
deepen your connections to others and improve teamwork, decision-making, and problem
solving. It enables you to communicate even negative or difficult messages without creating
conflict or destroying trust. While effective communication is a learned skill, it is more effective
when it’s spontaneous rather than formulaic. A speech that is read rarely has the same impact as
a speech that’s delivered spontaneously.
Objectives of the Effective Communication Module
At the end of the Module, Students will be able to have a clear insight into communication. It is
an opportunity to understand how communication works and how to communicate with
confidence and flair. Students will look at what works about:

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The way you communicate:
 What gets in the way of you being a more effective communicator
 Tools and techniques to help you be more adept and self-assured
 Understanding how communications work
 Gaining active listening and responding skills
 Seeing things from other points of view
 Managing your assumption more effectively
 Difficult people or situations
 Understanding your own strengths
 Looking at body language
 Increasing confidence
Effective communication combines a set of skills including
 Nonverbal communication
 Attentive listening
 Managing stress in the moment
 The ability to communicate assertively
 The capacity to recognize and understand your own and others emotions
MODULE OUTLINE
 This Module will be covered in 4 days at 6 hrs per day with a total of 24 hrs to complete.
 Students with less than 75% attendance will be marked as Failed.

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 At the end of the Module, students are to submit written assignments within 30 days of
the last Module.
The modules have been arranged as follows:
Module 1:
An Understanding of the Communication Process
 Understanding Communication
 Principles of effective communication
 Getting the Message Across
Module 2:
Methods of Communication
 Using Different Tools to communicate effectively
 Effective Oral Communication
 Understanding Body Language in Communication
 Developing good listening & response skills
Module 3:
Why Communicating with Others may be Effective or Ineffective
 Developing your strengths & qualities
 Dealing with assumptions
 Understanding patterns, habits & beliefs in Communication
 Barriers in Effective Communication
 Building confidence

Module 4:
Presentation and Assessment
 Planning and delivering a presentation by Students
 Evaluating training by Role Play
 Assessing the Effectiveness of the Module
The above arrangement is systematic. Modules 01, 02 & 03 deals with training theory, Module 4
is transitional in that it links the theory with the applied training methods covered by Modules 1
to 3. Module 4 also covers the important aspect of measuring and assessing the effectiveness of

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the Module. It is stressed that the modules are not intended to constitute a textbook on training.
For this reason, and depending on the nature of the subject, some material is presented in point
form while other material is covered by full text.
Module Aids
 Block Lectures
 Printed Handouts/Notes
 Overhead Transparencies
 Laptop / Internet
 Microsoft Words / PowerPoint
 Video (Educational)
 Stationeries
Module 1:
An Understanding of the Communication Process
Many definitions describe communication as a transfer of information, thoughts or ideas to
create shared understanding between a sender and a receiver. The information may be written or
spoken, professional or social, personal or impersonal to name a few possibilities. Basically, the
communication process involves a sender, receiver, message, channel and feedback. However,

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this simplistic description significantly under-represents what can actually be a very complex
process.
There are many different essential ways to communicate with others using different mediums
such as:
 Speech
- Face-to-face
- Meetings
- Telephone
- Teleconference
 Technology
- Mobile
- Mobile Applications
- Letters / Memorandum
- Emails
- Fax
Essential issues to be aware of in any communication situation are:
Content:
Refer to the actual words or symbols of the message that are known as language, the spoken and
written words combined into phrases that make grammatical sense. Importantly, we all use and
interpret the meanings of words differently, so even simple messages can be misunderstood. And
many words have different meanings to confuse the issue even more.
Process:
Refers to the way the message is delivered - the nonverbal elements in speech such as the tone of
voice, the look in the sender’s eyes, body language, hand gestures and state of emotions (anger,
fear, uncertainty, confidence, etc.) that can be detected. The non-verbal’s that we use often cause
messages to be misunderstood as we tend to believe what we see more than what we hear.
Indeed, we often trust the accuracy of nonverbal behaviors more than verbal behaviors.
Context:
Refer to the situation or environment in which your message is delivered. Important contextual
factors that can subtly influence the effectiveness of a message include the:
Physical environment:

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- cultural factors such as international cultures, organizational cultures and so on
- developmental factors such as first, second or third year student, experience in similar settings
and so on.
The goal of communication between a sender and a receiver understands of the message being
sent. Anything that interferes with this can be referred to as ‘noise’. Communication noise can
influence our interpretation of messages and significantly affect our perception of interactions
with others.
However, there are a number of strategies that can help to help minimize communication noise
and maximize communication efficiency.
Sender:
- Create a climate of trust and confidence
- Express ideas clearly and concisely
- Be explicit about expectations
- Strive for a balance between too much/too little information
- Be aware of the non-verbal elements of your message - remember that people tend to believe
what they see more than they hear
- Give the receiver time to process your message
Receiver:
- Pay attention to what is being communicated
- Clarify anything you are unsure about
- Confirm your understanding of the message
- Be aware of your non-verbal behaviors as people tend to believe what they see more than
they hear
Developing competence in communication, particularly in the professional context, requires
ongoing practice and reflection on practice.
Module 2:
Methods of Communication

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THE THREE COMPONENTS OF COMMUNICATION
SENDING MESSAGES:
 Verbal messages
 Nonverbal messages
 Para verbal messages
 The importance of consistency
RECEIVING MESSAGES:
 Listening
 Giving full physical attention to the speaker
 Being aware of the speaker's nonverbal messages
 Paying attention to the words and feelings
 Reflective listening skills
 Additional verbal communication tools
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
We all use language to communicate, to express ourselves, to get our ideas across, and to
connect with the person to whom we are speaking. When a relationship is working, the act of
communicating seems to flow relatively effortlessly. When a relationship is deteriorating, the act
of communicating can be as frustrating as climbing a hill of sand.
THE THREE COMPONENTS OF COMMUNICATION
On a daily basis we work with people who have different opinions, values, beliefs, and needs
than our own. Our ability to exchange ideas with others, understand others' perspectives, solve

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problems and successfully utilize the steps and processes presented in this training will depend
significantly on how effectively we are able to communicate with others.
The act of communicating involves verbal, nonverbal, and preverbal components. The verbal
component refers to the content of our message‚ the choice and arrangement of our words. The
nonverbal component refers to the message we send through our body language. The preverbal
component refers to how we say what we say - the tone, pacing and volume of our voices.
In order to communicate effectively, we must use all three components to do two things:
 Send clear, concise messages.
 Hear and correctly understand messages someone is sending to us.
Communication Involves Three Components:
 Verbal Messages - the words we choose
 Para verbal Messages - how we say the words
 Nonverbal Messages - our body language
These Three Components Are Used To:
 Send Clear, Concise Messages
 Receive and Correctly Understand Messages Sent to Us.
SENDING MESSAGES
Verbal Messages:
Our use of language has tremendous power in the type of atmosphere that is created at the
problem-solving table. Words that are critical, blaming, judgmental or accusatory tend to create a
resistant and defensive mindset that is not conducive to productive problem solving. On the other
hand, we can choose words that normalize the issues and problems and reduce resistance.
Sending effective messages requires that we state our point of view as briefly and succinctly as
possible. Listening to a rambling, unorganized speaker is tedious and discouraging. Lengthy
dissertations and circuitous explanations are confusing to the listener and the message loses its
concreteness, relevance, and impact. Choose your words with the intent of making your message
as clear as possible, avoiding jargon and unnecessary, tangential information.
Effective Verbal Messages:
 Are brief, succinct, and organized
 Are free of jargon
 Do not create resistance in the listener

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Nonverbal Messages
The power of nonverbal communication cannot be underestimated. In his book, Silent Messages,
Professor Albert Mehrabian says the messages we send through our posture, gestures, facial
expression and spatial distance account for 55% of what is perceived and understood by others.
In fact, through our body language we are always communicating, whether we want to or not.
You cannot communicate.
Nonverbal messages are the primary way that we communicate emotions:
Facial Expression:
The face is perhaps the most important conveyor of emotional information. A face can light up
with enthusiasm, energy, and approval, express confusion or boredom, and scowl with
displeasure. The eyes are particularly expressive in telegraphing joy, sadness, anger, or
confusion.
Postures and Gestures:
Our body postures can create a feeling of warm openness or cold rejection. For example, when
someone faces us, sitting quietly with hands loosely folded in the lap, a feeling of anticipation
and interest is created. A posture of arms crossed on the chest portrays a feeling of inflexibility.
The action of gathering up one's materials and reaching for a purse signals a desire to end the
conversation.
Nonverbal Messages:
 Account for about 55% of what is perceived and understood by others.
 Are conveyed through our facial expressions as well as our postures and gestures.
Para verbal Messages:
Para verbal communication refers to the messages that we transmit through the tone, pitch, and
pacing of our voices. It is how we say something, not what we say. A sentence can convey
entirely different meanings depending on the emphasis on words and the tone of voice. For
example, the statement, "I didn't say you were stupid" has six different meanings, depending on
which word is emphasized.
Some points to remember about our preverbal communication:
- When we are angry or excited, our speech tends to become more rapid and higher pitched.
- When we are bored or feeling down, our speech tends to slow and take on a monotone quality.

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- When we are feeling defensive, our speech is often abrupt.
The Importance of Consistency
In all of our communications we want to strive to send consistent verbal, preverbal and
nonverbal messages. When our messages are inconsistent, the listener may become confused.
Inconsistency can also create a lack of trust and undermine the chance to build a good working
relationship.
When a person sends a message with conflicting verbal, preverbal and nonverbal information,
the nonverbal information tends to be believed. Consider the example of someone, through a
clenched jaw, hard eyes, and steely voice, telling you they're not mad. Which are you likely to
believe? What you see or what you hear?
RECEIVING MESSAGES
Listening:
Requires concentration and energy
- Involves a psychological connection with the speaker
- Includes a desire and willingness to try and see things from another's perspective
- Requires that we suspend judgment and evaluation
The key to receiving messages effectively is listening. Listening is a combination of hearing
what another person says and psychological involvement with the person who is talking.
Listening requires more than hearing words. It requires a desire to understand another human
being, an attitude of respect and acceptance, and a willingness to open one's mind to try and see
things from another's point of view. Listening requires a high level of concentration and energy.
It demands that we set aside our own thoughts and agendas, put ourselves in another's shoes and
try to see the world through that person's eyes.
When we listen effectively we gain information that is valuable to understanding the problem as
the other person sees it. We gain a greater understanding of the other person's perception. After
all, the truth is subjective and a matter of perception. When we have a deeper understanding of
another's perception, whether we agree with it or not, we hold the key to understanding that
person's motivation, attitude, and behavior. We have a deeper understanding of the problem and
the potential paths for reaching others. Listening is a search to find the treasure of the true person
as revealed verbally and nonverbally. There is the semantic problem, of course. The words bear a
different connotation to others.
Learning to be an effective listener is a difficult task for many people. However, the specific
skills of effective listening behavior can be learned.

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Key Listening Skills:
Nonverbal:
- Giving full physical attention to the speaker;
- Being aware of the speaker's nonverbal messages;
Verbal:
- Paying attention to the words and feelings that are being expressed;
- Using reflective listening tools such as paraphrasing, reflecting, summarizing, and questioning
to increase understanding of the message and help the speaker tell his story.
- Giving Full Physical Attention to the Speaker. Attending is the art and skill of giving full,
physical attention to another person. Effective attending is a careful balance of alertness and
relaxation that includes appropriate body movement, eye contact, and "posture of full attention".
You can enhance effective communication by using open body language:
- arms uncrossed
- standing with an open stance
- sitting on the edge of your seat
- maintaining eye contact with the person you’re talking to.
You can also use body language to emphasize or enhance your verbal message
- patting a friend on the back while complimenting him on his success
- pounding your fists to underline your message.
How to read non-verbal communication
Be aware of individual differences.
People from different countries and cultures tend to use different nonverbal communication
gestures, so it’s important to take age, culture, religion, gender, and emotional state into account
when reading body language signals.
Look at nonverbal communication signals as a group. Don’t read too much into a single gesture
or nonverbal cue. Consider all of the nonverbal signals you receive, from eye contact to tone of
voice to body language. Anyone can slip up occasionally and let eye contact slip, for example, or
briefly cross their arms without meaning to. Consider the signals as a whole to get a better “read”
on a person.
How to deliver non-verbal communication

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- Use nonverbal signals that match up with your words.
- Nonverbal communication should reinforce what is being said, not contradict it.
If you say one thing, but your body language says something else, your listener will likely feel
you’re being dishonest.
- Adjust your nonverbal signals according to the context.
The tone of your voice, for example, should be different when you’re giving instruction and
asking for help/favor from your Staff.
Similarly, take into account the emotional state and cultural background of the person you’re
interacting with. Use body language to convey positive feelings even when you're not actually
experiencing them.
Module 3:
Why Communicating with Others may be Effective or
Ineffective
 Developing your strengths & qualities
 Dealing with assumptions
 Understanding patterns, habits & beliefs in Communication
 Barriers in Effective Communication
 Building confidence
 Characteristics of Effective Communicators
Developing your strengths & qualities:
When we pay attention to a speaker's body language we gain insight into how that person is
feeling as well as the intensity of the feeling. Through careful attention to body language and
preverbal messages, we are able to develop hunches about what the speaker (or listener) is
communicating. We can then, through our reflective listening skills, check the accuracy of those
hunches by expressing in our own words, our impression of what is being communicated.

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Dealing with assumptions:
Paying Attention to the Words and Feelings
In order to understand the total meaning of a message, we must be able to gain understanding
about both the feeling and the content of the message. We are often more comfortable dealing
with the content rather than the feelings, particularly when the feelings are intense. Our tendency
is to try and ignore the emotional aspect of the message/conflict and move directly to the
substance of the issues. This can lead to an escalation of intense emotions. It may be necessary to
deal directly with the relationship problem by openly acknowledging and naming the feelings
and having an honest discussion about them prior to moving into the substantive issues. If we
leave the emotional aspect unaddressed, we risk missing important information about the
problem as well as derailing the communication process.
Reflective Listening Skills:
Reflective listening or responding is the process of restating, in our words, the feeling and/or
content that is being expressed and is part of the verbal component of sending and receiving
messages. By reflecting back to the speaker what we believe we understand, we validate that
person by giving them the experience of being heard and acknowledged. We also provide an
opportunity for the speaker to give us feedback about the accuracy of our perceptions, thereby
increasing the effectiveness of our overall communication.
Understanding patterns, habits & beliefs in Communication
Paraphrasing:
This is a concise statement of the content of the speaker's message. A paraphrase should be brief,
succinct, and focus on the facts or ideas of the message rather than the feeling. The paraphrase
should be in the listener's own words rather than "parroting back", using the speaker's words.
Reflecting Feeling:
The listener concentrates on the feeling words and asks herself, "How would I be feeling if I was
having that experience?" She then restates or paraphrases the feeling of what she has heard in a
manner that conveys understanding.
Summarizing:
The listener pulls together the main ideas and feelings of the speaker to show understanding.
This skill is used after a considerable amount of information sharing has gone on and shows that
the listener grasps the total meaning of the message. It also helps the speaker gain an integrated
picture of what she has been saying.

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Additional Verbal Communication Tools
A number of other verbal tools encourage communication and facilitate the goal of gaining a
more thorough understanding of another's perspective by:
Questioning:
The listener asks open ended questions (questions which can't be answered with a "yes" or a
"no") to get information and clarification. This helps focus the speaker on the topic, encourages
the speaker to talk, and provides the speaker the opportunity to give feedback.
BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
 Verbal communication barriers
 Nonverbal communication barriers
Even though an individual’s backgrounds and beliefs can affect the process of communication,
one must utilize the different processes and components to achieve effective communication.
Because barriers block the listening process causing misunderstanding that may block the flow
of information between individuals. Therefore, this misunderstanding may blur the lines of
communication.
A barrier to communication is something that keeps meanings from meeting. Meaning barriers
exist between all people, making communication much more difficult than most people seem to
realize. It is false to assume that if one can talk he can communicate. Because so much of our
education misleads people into thinking that communication is easier than it is, they become
discouraged and give up when they run into difficulty. Because they do not understand the nature
of the problem, they do not know what to do. The wonder is not that communicating is as
difficult as it is, but that it occurs as much as it does.
When people are under stress, they are more apt to inject communication barriers into their
conversation. These barriers can exist in any of the three components of communication:
 Verbal
 Preverbal
 nonverbal
Verbal Communication Barriers
 Attacking (interrogating, criticizing, blaming, shaming)
 "You Messages" (moralizing, preaching, advising, diagnosing)
 Showing Power (ordering, threatening, commanding, directing)
 Other Verbal Barriers: shouting, name calling, refusing to speak.

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Nonverbal Communication Barriers
When we communicate things that we care about, we do so mainly using nonverbal signals.
Nonverbal communication, or body language, includes:
- Facial expressions
- Body movement and gestures
- Eye contact
- Body posture
- The tone of your voice
- Muscle tension and breathing
- Excessive fidgeting with materials
The way you look, listen, move, and react to another person tell them more about how you’re
feeling than words alone ever can. Developing the ability to understand and use nonverbal
communication can help you connect with others, express what you really mean, navigate
challenging situations, and build better relationships at home and work.
All of these examples of barriers thwart communication, mutual understanding, respect, problem
solving, and identifying solutions that will meet everyone's needs. They put a serious strain on
relationships that ultimately need to be collaborative in order to most effectively meet the needs
of our children. Use of these "communication errors" results in increased emotional distancing
between the parties, escalation in the intensity of the conflict and a negative environment for
everyone involved.
BUILDING CONFIDENCE IN EFFECTIVE
COMMUNICATION
When the ability to communicate feels stuck and we can’t communicate effectively we are left
with a lot of resentment, unhappiness, and many times we blame ourselves. Learning how to
effectively speak with others, especially in situations that can be emotionally triggering is a skill.
Communication and confidence go hand and hand. When you are able to express feelings, your
needs and, most importantly, feel heard, it builds internal trust. Even if the other person responds
in a way that is disrespectful, you can walk away from the situation knowing you did your best.
Without a little awareness and acceptance about how we may cause some communication
mishaps, these frustrating experiences are likely to come up again and make us less confident in
our ability to express ourselves.
Characteristics of Effective Communicators
Confident body language:
Look others in the eye, call others by their name, generally smile or have a nonthreatening look
on their face, have good posture and an open stance. They appear at ease and are ready to talk to
anyone. This comes across just by looking at them.

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Avoid sarcasm:
They know that it makes others feel disrespected, not to mention they appear insecure and
defensive. Sarcasm tells others you can’t tolerate them or the conversation. While you may feel it
diffuses uncomfortable feelings, in reality it makes others frustrated, often wanting to avoid
future interactions.
Keep cool:
No matter how heated the situation, they are able to stick to the facts and express their feelings
with words rather than behaviors. No yelling, door slamming, threatening, or emotionally
unregulated outbursts. They compartmentalize in hopes that they can be heard.
Listen and validate:
They let the other person know they are being heard, giving them the same respect they hope to
receive. Validation doesn’t mean you have to agree with the person; rather you are attempting to
understand where they are coming from.
Communication Skills Before You Say a Word
Get out of your tunnel vision of frustration and “I must be right” mentality and think about
something completely off topic. Get mindful in the moment. Just stop thinking for one minute
about the interaction you hope to have and the emotions that come with it. Obsessing about the
outcome of a future event will only heighten your anxiety and make you less confident.
In potentially complicated or highly emotional situations, good, effective and confident
communication happen in-person. It is extremely important to remember this. Text message,
instant messages and email only complicate things more. Is it easier, sure, yet the tone can also
be compromised and you are unable to read a person’s true. If you care about the other person,
try to communicate in a way that allows both of you to be heard. In the long run, you will have
more respect for yourself and confidence in your ability to communicate with anyone.
In the end Effective Communication consists of expressing ideas or transmitting information
from one individual or group to another individual or group. People communicate in many
different ways, according to their age, cultural background, language and other individual
particularities. The speech is still probably the most common way of communication in the
present. Apart from that there are many essential ways of communicating either spoken or
written.

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SUMMARY
Communication is essential for effective functioning in every part of an organization. Although
marketing, production, finance, personnel, and maintenance departments may receive direction
from corporate goals and objectives, communication links them together and facilitates
organizational success. The importance of effective communication for managers cannot be
overemphasized for one specific reason: everything a manager does, involves communicating.
Communication is needed to increase efficiency, satisfy customers, improve quality, and create
innovative products.
Effective communication is so important for organizational success that not only managers, but
also their employees must be effective communicators. One role of a manager is to help
employees improve their communication skills. When all members of a team, department, or
organization are able to communicate effectively with each other and with people outside their
group, they are much more likely to perform well. The successful manager, therefore, needs
effective communication skills. Effective communicators are not afraid to ask for clarification if
they don’t understand the message they are receiving. When you ask for clearer understanding, it
shows that you really care what the person is talking about and ensures the conversation
proceeds appropriately.
Communication is the sharing of information between two or more individuals or groups to reach
a common understanding. The most important part of this definition is that the information or
ideas conveyed must be understood. To see what this definition means in practice, consider
giving or receiving incomplete information. With only a partial understanding, problems will
occur. In a corporative environment, effective communication is the key to win your way to
success. Regardless of weather you’re targeting your career growth or winning the next big
project, effective communication can make your way to the objective.
Effective communication is the glue that helps you deepen your connections to others and
improve teamwork, decision making, and problem solving. It enables you to communicate even
negative or difficult messages without creating conflict or destroying trust. Good communication
is often incorrectly defined by the communicator as agreement instead of clarity of
understanding. If someone disagrees with us, we may often assume the person just did not fully
understand our position; but a person can clearly understand us and simply not agree. There are
different tools that can be used to identify and solve the communication barriers in the
workplace.

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IN-CLASS PRESENTATION AND ASSESSMENT
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2ol750
Students are to view the Video
Task 1:
In a Group of 4 Students
 Identify and list down the nonverbal communication from the Video
 What can be done by the main subject (Lady in the Video) to improve the meeting using
verbal and nonverbal effective communication skills?
 List down all the essential elements in point form.
Presentation should be done in PowerPoint Slide and each member in the Group has to
represent/explain relevant points/topics from the Slide.
Task 2:
In a Group of 4 Students
Role Play:
Act out a skit (not more than 3 minutes for each Group) that showcase a prominent verbal,
nonverbal and preverbal communications act of employees in an Office.You may choose one of
these scenarios:
● A Manager conducting a Monthly Meeting with his/her Staff who keeps on complaining about
the working environment
● A Senior Staff giving instructions to a group of Junior Staff about the Company's new policy
of using the Xerox machine
● A group of Head-of-Staff who was arguing about who is supposed to prepare the bi-annual
Report (Accounts, Logistic, Staff Welfare) before the Director intervene into the issue
(argument)
ASSIGNMENT
 The Assignments consists of a total of 100% marks which are divided into different
Tasks (Questions).
 You are to attempt and answer to all Questions with relevant examples.

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 All written assignment should be presented and submitted using Microsoft Words in soft
copy using standard Times New Roman Font size 13 with 1.5 spacing.
 All assignment should be submitted by 5th July 2015, 12:00noon. Assignment received
after the stipulated date and time will be marked as Failed.
Task 1 (Total 30 marks)
(Refer to Module 4)
In-Class Presentation:
Write up a written summary from your In-Class PowerPoint Presentation about the
Communication Barriers from the Video.
(20 marks)
Role Play:
Briefly explain your character in the role play and how you feel about it
- How can you further improve the communication skills of your character in the role play
(10 marks)
Task 2: (Total 20 marks)
What are the strategies and process that can help to minimize and maximize communication
efficiency? (10 marks)
Explain in details how communication barriers in culture, language, background and gender can
be overcome in a multi national Office or Workplace
(10 marks)
Task 3: (Total 35 marks)
Read the scenario given below and answer the Questions that follow.
A Paint Your Face Cosmetics product development specialist in Europe came up with a new idea
that used yogurt as a key ingredient for hair color products. The specialist spent time emailing
the marketing manager in the U.S. with the idea, recipe and product description. The market
manager had difficulty getting her answers to product questions back from the specialist in
Europe. There were numerous nonverbal cues that were missed due to the use of emails only.
The final email response was interpreted by the specialist as that the manager did not like the
product when, in fact, the manager did like the product but only had some concerns about price.
The product idea was in danger of being lost.

22
 Explain in details what is the difficulty faced by the Marketing Manager in U.S. in up
keeping the information she needed from the product Specialist in Europe.
(10 marks)
 Why were nonverbal cues essential in Communication between the Product Specialist
and Marketing Manager?
(10 marks)
 Based on the scenario above what are the hiccups and barriers that happened which
doesn’t allow the Product Specialist and the Marketing Manager to have an Effective
Communication? How can these be overcome before the Company faces any lose and
how can this are avoided in the future?
(15 marks)

23
REFERENCES
W. Schramm (Ed.), the process and effects of communication (pp. 3–26). Urbana, Illinois:
University of Illinois Press.Barnlund, D. C. (2008).
A transactional model of communication (Eds.), Communication theory (2nd ed., pp47-57). New
Brunswick, New Jersey
Harper, Douglas. "Communication". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 17-05-2015
Mehrabian, Albert (2009). ""Silent Messages" – A Wealth of Information about Nonverbal
Communication (Body Language)
Sudden, Marsha (2007). Effective workplace communication: skills for success in life and on the
job (3rd ed. ed.). Indianapolis, Ind.: JUST Works.ISBN 1-59357-433-9.
Whitaker, Steve; David Frolic and Owen Day-Jones (April 24–28, 1994). "Informal workplace
communication: what is it like and how might we support it?"
Richard P. (2001). Skills of workplace communication: a handbook for T & D specialists and
their organizations ([Online-Gauss.] ed.). West port, Conn.: Quorum Books. ISBN 978-1-56720-
362-2.
Person, Sharon J. Person, Steven M. (2007). Workplace communication: process and product.
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. ISBN 0-13-228808-7.
Video, Effective Communication: Brook Huynh
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2ol750
FURTHER READING
Useful Communication Tools to Foster Common Understanding
by Leo Sun

Effective Communication Skills for Diverse Workplaces

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